Canadian cancer statistics reveal that 950 British Columbians will be diagnosed with melanoma – the most deadly type of skin cancer – in 2013, a four percent increase since 2012. It’s estimated there will be 6000 new cases of melanoma and 81,700 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer in Canada in 2013.

According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer and often spreads to other parts of the body. In contrast, non-melanoma skin cancers, also known as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, may be treated with surgery and normally don’t affect other organs.

At high risk

Skin cancer more commonly afflicts lighter-skinned individuals| Photo by Jen Marquez, Flickr.

Individuals at high risk for melanoma include those who have been previously diagnosed or who have a strong family history of the disease. In her pre-teens, Pam Bush fell into the high-risk category when both her uncle and mother were diagnosed with melanoma.

The BC Cancer Agency states the most important environmental risk factor for all skin cancers is solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and Bush took prevention seriously.

“From that time, I never went out tanning and tried to stay out of the sun,” says Bush.

However, even though Bush took prevention seriously by applying sunscreen, staying out of the sun at peak times and wearing hats and long-sleeve shirts, she was diagnosed with melanoma in March 2010.

As the most common tumour in white populations worldwide, skin cancers affect twice as many light-haired, light-skinned, light-eyed individuals compared to dark-featured individuals. Factors which also increase risk of skin cancer include freckling, large numbers of acquired skin moles and likelihood of burning over tanning.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, the skin of pale individuals has less pigment, or melanin, to protect against UVR. Although rare, melanoma most often occurs in dark-featured individuals on surfaces unexposed to sun such as feet, hands and mucous membranes.

With these statistics in mind and a family history of melanoma, blue-eyed, light-skinned Bush anticipated diagnosis at some point.

“I sort of was expecting it because of all my history. It was still very emotional, devastating and difficult,” says Bush.

She acknowledges the misconception that skin cancer affects only pale skin individuals.

“People with dark skin often die more frequently because they catch it later,” says Bush.

An ongoing battle

Treatment for melanoma doesn’t usually involve radiation or chemotherapy. For stage one and stage two melanoma, one undergoes a watch-and-wait procedure through regular visits to a dermatologist. Stage three involves immunotherapy which helps boost the immune system to fight the cancer. When melanomas are on the surface they can easily be removed, Bush explains.

“[But] if they grow more than 1 mm deep they can affect other organs. Once this happens it is one of the hardest cancers to fight,” she says.

According to 2013 Canadian cancer statistics, 1 in 63 men and 1 in 79 women will develop melanoma during their lifetime. After Bush beat melanoma the first time she thought her battle was over. Unfortunately, once individuals are diagnosed with melanoma they are at a higher risk for future melanomas.

“I’ve had it three times and am currently waiting for pathology on possible recurrence of one of them,” says Bush.

Skin cancer education

Bush acknowledges the prevention methods of skin cancer can be better communicated in the Vancouver community. She believes they should be integrated into middle school health classes, with a specific focus on identifying the different types of melanoma.

“Right from the start kids are aware that tanning is not a good thing and they can learn to just love the skin they are in,” she says.

This is a message echoed in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Tanning is Out initiative, which recently encouraged 8000 British Columbia secondary school students to pledge to a tan-free year. To the recently diagnosed, Bush recommends asking many questions, doing research and especially getting in touch with the melanoma community online.

“Sharing my story has been therapeutic,” she says. “For some reason, when you get cancer you feel like you shouldn’t tell people –

once you cross that barrier it gives you freedom and you feel like you can own your cancer.”

Know Your Moles

Asymmetry: One half doesn’t match the other half.

Border irregularity: The edges are ragged or blurred.

Colour: The pigmentation is not uniform.

Diameter: The size of the mole is greater than 6 mm.

Evolution: There is a change in size, shape, itching, surface or colour.

Reference: Healthlinkbc.ca